Device for reinforcing the edges of sheet materials



June 16, 1959 FATE 2,890,820

DEVICE FOR REINFORCING THE EDGES OF SHEET MATERIALS Filed March 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

CHARLES A. PATE BY 0 www,

ATTORNEYS June 16, 1959 c. A. PATE 2,890,820

DEVICE FOR REINFORCING THE EDGES 0F SHEET MATERIALS Filed March 21, 1955 2 Sheets-Shee t 2 FIG-1O 55 "54 INVENTOR. CHARLES A. PATE BY W, M 7

ATTORNEYS United States DEVICE FOR REINFGRCING THE EDGES OF SHEET MATERIALS This invention relates to a device for use in reinforcing the edges of paper sheets and the like with reinforcing material or tape.

The present invention is especially adapted to reinforce or repair the edges of paper sheets which have been punched or perforated to facilitate placing the sheets in filing devices, loose leaf binders or the like. It is to be understood, however, that in its broadest aspects the present invention is not to be limited to such applications but rather to be utilized in reinforcing the edges of sheet material for any purpose.

As a specific example of one use of the present invention, reference is made to my copending application Serial No. 301,021, filed July 26, 1952, now Patent No. 2,708,934, for Filing Apparatus, wherein file copies of letters, etc., are punched at one end for insertion into a file and/or the file handling device. It often happens that the edge portions of these copies, which are customarily of relatively thin, lightweight paper, are torn between the edge of the sheet and one or more of the perforations. The present device provides a means for reinforcing or repairing the edge portions of these sheets adjacent such perforations to facilitate their future use in the files without danger of their falling out and being lost or misfiled.

Although any type of reinforcing tape may be applied in accordance with the present invention, the use of transparent cellophane tape having pressure sensitive adhesive on one side thereof is preferred. This tape is much thinner than any other type and yet is quite strong. Thus the reinforced portion will have substantially no greater thickness than the remainder of the paper, and when a number of papers having reinforced edge portions are joined in a binder the bulk of the file will not be substantially increased.

In accordance with the present invention the sheet to be reinforced is placed upon a base having at least one end and one side thereof extending at right angles to each other. Both this end and this side carry guide members which extend upwardly above the top surface of the base, and against which the sheet may be placed to index the sheet upon the base. At the same end of the base which carries a guide member there is also carried a cutter having a cutting edge which extends upwardly above the top surface of the base and parallel to the end, in such a manner that the cutting edge abuts and extends slightly above the edge portion of the sheet to be repaired. The guide member on this end extends up to the cutting edge and projects substantially vertically above the cutting edge.

With the sheet to be repaired indexed upon the base the operator obtains a length of reinforcing tape and applies it to the edge portion of the sheet which is to be repaired, aligning the edge of the tape with the vertically extending edge of the guide member over the cutting edge. The operator then pulls the tape across the cutter and the tape is thereby severed along the edge of the sheet material without any protrusion of the tape material beyond the edge of the sheet. This reinforcing operation may be performed equally as well on sheets which have not yet been perforated if it is desired to strengthen them about the portions which are to be perforated.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a device for use in reinforcing the edges of atent fl 2,890,820 Patented June 16, 1959 sheet material which quickly and accurately indexes the portion of the sheet to be repaired adjacent a cutter and wherein the cutter is arranged to. sever the tape along the edge of the sheet material.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a device wherein a plurality of cutters may be arranged serially along one end of the device to permit repair or reinforcement of several edge portions of a sheet at one time.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device wherein several cutters may be serially arranged along one end of the device and wherein these cutters may be adjustably positioned along the end of the device to accommodate different arrangements of sheet material to be repaired.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the reinforcing device provided by this invention;

Fig. 2 is a top end view of the device seen in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial section taken along line 33 of Fig. 2, with the cutter guard shown in place;

Fig. 4 is a partial perspective on an enlarged scale of the device seen in Fig. 1 and showing the application of reinforcing tape to sheet material;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one kind of sheet material which may be accommodated in the device of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of the device seen in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a top end view of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the guide members and cutters seen in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged partial section taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged partial section taken along line Ill-10 of Fig. 7 with the cutter guard shown in position.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and particularly to Fig. 1, the reinforcing device is seen to include a base 10 having a flat upper surface 11, a top end 12 and a side 13 which extends at right angles to end 12. Carried on side .13 is a guide member 15 which extends upwardly above top surface 11 and a plurality of guide members 16 are carried by end 12 and also extend up-- wardly above the top surface of the base. These guide members 16 may be of independent construction, but are preferably provided by a single piece of material 20 (Fig. 2) having a number of wide slots 21 cut therein. The member 20 is fastened to end 12 by screws 22 with the bottom of the slots below top surface 11 of the base to provide the plurality of stop members 16 as seen in Fig. l.

A number of cutters or knives 25 are carried by member 20 andhave their cutting edges 26 projecting above slots 21 and slightly above the base top surface 11, as seen in Fig. l, to provide means for severing reinforcing tape as it is applied to the sheet being repaired or reinforced. The cutting edges may be of any desired design, but preferably are either a continuous sharp edge such as on a razor, or a serrated relatively dull edge of the type often used on cellulose tape dispensers. Cutters 25 are preferably removably fastened to the member 20 as by screws 27 (Fig. 3) so that they may be easily removed for sharpening or replacing. In order to protect the cutting edges during periods of non-use a guard is provided for the cutters consisting of a bar or block 28 having a centering bolt 29 extending through its center and into a hole 30 (Fig. 1) in the base 10.

The centering bolt, in cooperation with guide member 16, holds guard 28 in position adjacent the cutting edges 26 and prevents striking of these edges by any object, as well as preventing inadvertentcontact of the fingers with. the cutting ,edgesQwhe'nthe device is not in'use.

In orderto provide for stability of the entire device when'in use it is advisablelto clamp the base to some surface, for example, ]a desk or table top. For'this 'pu'rposea plurality of suctioncups 31 are suitablysecured to the lower surface of the 'base.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, there is shown a sheet of paper 35 provided with suitable perforations 36 for holding the sheet within a loose leaf binder, file or'the like. Adjacent one of these perforations 36 an edge portion of sheet 35 has .beentorn. out at 37 and must be repaired if the adjacentperforation, is to be of any use in holding the sheet within the binder. In Fig, 4 sheet 35 has been placed upon base 10 and into abutting relationship withguide-members and 16, thus bringing the torn edgeportion 37 into:alignment .with a cutting edge 26. With the sheet so positioneda piece of reinforcing tape 38 is applied over the sheet to cover perforation 36 and the torn edge portion ,37, and the tape is then pulled downwardly in the direction indicated by arrow 39 across cutting edge 26 to. sever that portion of tape 38 adhering to sheet along the edge ofthe sheet.

If the tape should be supplied in rolls,-it is only necesare formed, the slot 54 extending-across'the end of base 1 50 and receiving an end-plate 55 having an outer edge 56 which extends at right angles to the-side 57 of the base. -Within slot 53 therefis received agraduated scale 60 which ispreferablygraduated from a1zero point at the center of the base outwardly toward the opposite side. 1

Groove 52'receives an adjustable guide. member 62 having'an upstanding end 63 which extends above 'the base top surface 51 andalso having an elongated slot 64 formed therein for passage of-a clamping screw 65 which is threaded intoa-base plate 66 which is in turnsuitably secured to the base within-groove 52. Thusby tighteningorlooseningof. screw 65 the guide member62 maybe moved transversely of base 50 to alter the spacing of upright portion 63 with respect to edge 57.

A rail 70 extends across the end of base 50 below and spaced outwardly from 'end plate 55, and is secured to the base by inwardly turnedend portions 71 which are suitably secured to the sides of the base. A slot 72 is formed through rail 70 along most of its length so as to traverse-a major portion of the end of base 50. A plurality of guide and cutter members or L-shaped cutting heads are carried on rail 70 and are seen in detail in Fig. 8 as including a rectangular body portion 75 having a central tapped hole 76 and an upwardly extending leg or guide member 77. Fixed to the upper edge of each body-75 is a cutter 78 having cutting edge 86} extending transversely of the body portion 75 above its upper edge and immediately behind and in contact with the upwardly extending leg 77; Each of these guide and cutting memhers is adjustably clamped to rail 70 by a screw 82 which extends through slot 72 and engages the tapped hole 76 i l as shown at 77 and 77', with the latter extending upwardly from the opposite edge of body 75. The use of the modification in Figs. 6-10 is the same as that set forth for the device of Figs. 1-4, with the additional advantage that the cutting edges may be adjusted along the end of the base to accommodate different spacing of perforations: as found in different types of sheet material, for example 2,3 and 4 ring type note book fillers, and the like.

While the forms of device herein described constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it isto be understood that the invention is notlimited to these precise 1 forms of device, and that changes may be made--therein=,

without departing from the scope of the invention which; is defined-in the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. In a device for use in cooperation withrreinforcing v y; tape, to reinforce edge-portions of paper sheets andthe- I.

like, the combination: of a substantially flat basehaving one end and a side thereof extending at right. angles to each other, guide members on said end. andsaidv side for aligning a sheet of paper on said base with the therewith.

2. A device for use in reinforcing the edges ,of papeltr n:

sheets :andthe like comprising a substantiallymectangular flat base for supporting the sheet, a rail extendingacross one end of said base and supported in spaced relation .1 thereto, a plurality of L-shaped cutting heads lslidably; J

fixedto saidrail for movement'along saidone end of said.

base, each said cutting head having one leg thereof ex- :1: tending substantially perpendicular to said base and above the top surface thereof to provide a guide for aligning,

a strip of reinforcing material with its respective said cutting head and the other leg thereof extending SUbSlIflHZ, tially parallel to said one end of said base and projecting slightly above the top surface thereof for stopping a sheet s in alignment with said cutting heads, cutters carried bysaid other legs having cutting edges projecting slightly thereabove, means for clamping said cuttingheads to said,

rail, and an adjustable guide member on one, side of i; said base for aligning a sheet laterally with respect to said:

cutting heads.

3. In a device for use in cooperation with reinforcing; tape to reinforce specific areas of edge portions of paper sheets and the like, the combination of a substantially fiat base having one-end and 'a side thereof extending at right angles to each other, guide members on said end and said side for aligning a sheet of paper on said base.:--; with the edge portion thereof to be reinforced along said end,and cutters carried by said end guide members having cutting edges projecting above the top surface of said r base, each said end guide member having a portion therew of reduced in height to expose at least a portion of Said": .7

cutting edge at said area to be reinforced for aligning with said area and said cutting edge-of said reinforcing-..:.-: 

